2011 Holiday Gift Picks: 5 Great Books for Kids

I discovered so many fantastic new kids’ titles at the Simon & Schuster holiday book preview hosted by Buzzing Bloggers. I’ve already mentioned one of them–a Hanukkah book called The Hanukkah Hop!–and here are 5 others that will become gift-giving favorites:

Bear’s Loose Tooth ($11.55) by Karma Wilson. Ages 3-7. My five-year-old son, who is eagerly awaiting his first loose tooth, has been asking for this book every night at bedtime. It’s a very gentle, sweet rhyming story of how Bear–who is nervous about having discovered his first wobbly tooth–is reassured by his friends that this is a natural part of growing up.

I’m Here ($10.87) by Peter Reynolds. Ages 4-8. This is one of those gift-worthy books that parents will admire as much as kids. It has a simple text about how children can form new friendships in unexpected ways.

Catch That Baby! ($12.74) by Nancy Coffelt. Ages 4-8. Yes, it’s a book about a toddler, but preschoolers and even older kids will get a kick out of it. It’s a read-aloud book chock full of puns and wordplay about the fun of a gleeful toddler who keeps scooting away from Mom. Price: $12.40

Where Is Baby’s Yummy Tummy?: A Karen Katz Lift-the-Flap Book ($6.99) by Karen Katz. Ages 1-4. This book is the long-awaited “sequel” to Karen Katz’s bestselling Where is Baby’s Belly Button. It, too, features large, sturdy flaps which this time reveal baby’s pretty nose, sweet feet, yummy tummy, and more.